Faith restored in the Blues

It's amazing what a team with wounded pride can pull out of the sports bag.

Seemingly written off by all and sundry after the schelacking handed out by the Crusaders, the Blues refound some of the form, and attitude, that saw them lift the 2003 Super 12 and the back row of Xavier Rush, Daniel Braid and Jerome Kaino were no exception.

The Auckland trio came up against one of the best back rows in the business in Scott Fava and Wallabies George Smith and Owen Finnegan and held their own in most departments on the back of a very good performance from the tight five.

While the midfield has been regularly identified as a problem area for the Blues this season, the back row has also misfired and coach Peter Sloane tried to address that last night with the return of Kaino to the blindside.

There's little doubt Kaino is a gifted rugby player who could play anywhere in the back three considering he's big, quick and athletic - in fact, he wouldn't look out of place on the wing.

His talents haven't gone unnoticed and the 21-year-old earned a call-up for the All Blacks northern tour last year despite having played little top-level rugby. He added a spark to the Blues side that was missing as he sat out a two-week suspension and was a key figure in a more urgent pack. They hunted as more of a unit and put pressure on a Brumbies side also looking to bounce back from a heavy defeat against the Sharks.

Rush was the least visible of the three but probably had his best game of the season so far and showed glimpses of the form that has seen him play eight tests for the All Blacks.

Sloane said after the Crusaders match a fortnight ago that no one was bigger than the team and Carlos Spencer was the first victim. Rush did enough last night to keep the lions at bay for at least another week, but he needs to be vigilant.

The 27-year-old is a likeable, committed and hard-working player, but his size and shape just don't fit the dimensions of a modern No 8 and he's contemplating moving to Europe.

With a dynamic player like Nick Williams - all 120kg of him - waiting in the wings, the Blues aren't short on firepower and he could soon get his chance to press for the All Blacks jersey many felt he was in line for last year.

Williams, who was a late callup into the reserves following the withdrawal of Angus Macdonald, played the entire second half at lock in a reshuffled pack and made a number of crunching tackles to leave his mark on the game.

One thing going for Rush, however, is the fact there isn't a natural successor to take over the captaincy with only the not-yet-fully-fit Steve Devine and Keven Mealamu coming to mind.

Another solution would be to move Kaino to No 8 and bring in Justin Collins on the blindside to also take over the captaincy.

Braid was once again quick to the breakdown operating as a good link between the backs and forwards, but he doesn't have the range of skills of a Richie McCaw or Marty Holah and is less of a presence foraging for the pill or with ball in hand.

Of course, one swallow doesn't make a summer and if the Blues are to continue their rehabilitation, the back row must come to the party again.